In Nomine Superiors: Eli by Mors Rattus

Eli

posted by Mors Rattus Original SA post

Superiors: Eli



Eli, remember, is the Archangel of Creation and has gone AWOL for no clear reason since the 60s.

We are told that angels of Creation can only receive Choir Attunements that match their Choir from other Words - a Seraph of Creation can't get the Malakite of Lightning attinuement, though they can get the Malakite of Creation or Seraph of Lightning attunements.
Bright Lilim of Creation may use their resonance to sense the drive to create and, at hihger CDs, know what would enable a creative person to produce a masterwork. No real guidelines provided that make any sense.
Grace of God lets you give Essence to a human who is engaged in some work of art. You must be ablet to see them and they must be preparing or performing the art and about to roll for success. At that point, you may spend Essence to boost their roll as if it were your own. You may spend up to (CElestial Forces) Essence, and if two angels use this at once, only the greater donation does anything. The human has no sense of any assistance but may feel inspired by a higher power. This attunement does cause Disturbance equal to the Essence spent.
Midwife is granted only to the most trusted servitors. It allows you to take one of your Forces and combined them with the donated Forces of two or more celestials to create a reliever. Each parent can contribute only one Force, and the total number of parents, including you, can't exceed your Celestial Forces. All Forces used are lost permanently by all participants. The reliever develops and will fledge as normal, and is the child of all angels that donated Forces, including you. Eli often used to give extra Forces to angels with this attunement, but no longer is around enough to do so.
Uncommon Sense allows you to spend 5 Essence to find a creative approach to a current problem. The GM procides a helpful suggestion, ranging from the sensible to the wildly insightful. If there are no clues or new ways to look at a situation, the attunement fails and the Essence is lost.
Eli offers no Distinctions whatsoever.
Eli can teach the Songs of Correspondence, Creation, Ecstasy, Life, Pestilence, Fruition and Sensation. He discovered those last two.



Common Creation Malakim Oaths:
1. I shall nurture the creative spirit wherever I may find it.
2. I shall protect all orphans.
3. I shall preserve rare species of animals and plants.
4. I shall encourage others to bring new life into the world.
5. I shall help others see the diversity of creation.

Expanded Rites:
1. Deliver a baby. Two Essence for twins, triplets or so on.
2. Complete a work of art.
3. Encourage or otherwise persuade someone to create something.
4. Expose at least ten people to a form of art or craft they've never experienced before.
5. Arrange for a family to spend an hour together happily.

Eli is the patron of all that brings forth new life or new things - art, babies, buildings, whatever. He is one of the most human Archangels, perhaps due to his Mercurian nature or perhaps because of how thoroughly humanity has been interwoven into the idea of Creation. His wandering of Earth bothers many in Heaven, and few know why he has left his Cathedral to walk the land. None can say if he has some secret plan or if he has come close to a Fall. His angels claim he remains true and holy, that he has Redeemed many demons and promotes his Word, but Dominic prepares for a trial.

Creation refers to the act of creation, the concept of bringing forth new from old, something from nothing. It opposes entropy, and Eli hates those who corrupt, but deeply loathes those that destroy. Destruction is nature, but it is a change, not a permanent obliteration. It is supposed to be a sacrifice to allow the new to rise. He delights in what is created, but he can leave it behind and move onto the new instantly, leaving others to maintain what is or use it to make something else. While all that lives contributes to the Word of Creation, humanity is its most prolific proponent. Humans create not only children, but art, machines, other things and ideas. They make the new every day. A child's sketch is as much a contribution as a masterpiece. Many wonder if the power humanity brings to his Word is what sent Eli mad.

Eli was among the eldest angels, born after David, who laid the foundation, but before Uriel, who purified what Eli made. With the other early angels, he helped to shape the stars and planets and give rise to life. When the first storyteller told the first story, Eli was there. When the first painter made the first markings on a cave wall, Eli was there. As humans evolved and became able to create more interesting things, Eli grew only more interested. He left sex to Jordi and Novalis and love to Andrealphus, submerging himself in the joy of invention. His angels were just as enthusiastic, and he and they had neither time nor interest to listen to Lucifer. Though they acted as the conduit for the creation of Adam, Lilith and Eve, they had no real interest in those humans. When Lilith left, Eli shrugged and went back to his work, asking his angels to report if she did anything interesting. As an experiment, the Edem Experiment didn't matter to Eli. He believed it had little to do with Creation and considered it a test of human spirituality at Lucifer's whim.

Due to his fascination with the act of creation and his utter lack of concern for its purpose, he nearly found himself a Rebel by inertia. Creation was everything to him and he never considered what it might be used for. Had it not been for Dominic, Eli might have Fallen. He watched the turmoil in confusion, listening to Lucifer's lectures of freedom and dominion. Lucifer had never paid much attention to Eli, seeing him as little better than the humans, but Eli found his words compelling, found the notion of being deprived of Earth's beauty horrifying. But it was then that Eli saw Dominic move among the angels, reminding them that God had given each of them free will and that they must use their judgment in exercising it. For each action has a consequence, and any choice must choose both action and consequence. Eli thought of his work and realized for the first time that he was responsible for what it might do. The choice was his - accept responsibility and use his Creation to build and inspire, or cast it away and just make things endlessly.

With a sudden cry of fury and grief, Eli turned away from Lucifer and began to create tools to defeat him. After the Rebellion was defeated, Eli found himself adopting many angelic orphans, former servants of the Fallen. Many had once served the Word of Love, Light, Laughter and even Fear. The wide scope of Creation attracted many angels who wanted to make a new start and find something better from the wreckage of their past. spurred by this and his realizations, Eli tightened his definition of Creation. It became a positive force linked to responsibility for one's work and the choice of what to make or do. It all seemed to be going well until the sins of the Grigori were revealed.

Eli's Rites celebrate the creation of life, and consensual sex honors his Word. He didn't object to the Grigori having sex with humans from affection and joy. But when he discovered not only that monsters had been born - possibly an accident that could be forgiven - but that the Grigori were conealing or killing these children and still fucking humans...well, that was deliberate sin, and Eli was horrified to his core that Creation could be twisted into mere rut. Even though some were innocent of the crime, almost all know what their siblings were doing and had kept silent. Eli went to Dominic. He found that Dominic and Litheroy had suspicions, but now they had proof. With this proof, Dominic had David arrest the entire Choir of Grigori for trial and destroyed any of the monstrous children they could find. Eli watched in cold fury as the Grigori were exiled en masse to Earth - those who had sinned, those who had kept silent and those who had been innocent but would not desert their Choirmates. It was then that Dominic began to fear what Eli's Word might do to some of his angels.



The Purity Crusade outraged Eli. He had no special love of ethereals, but he could see what the war was doing to the Marches and to Dreams, and to the dreams of all humans. He knew humans needed rest to strengthem themselves to create, and it was obvious to him that Uriel's blind passion was hurting the Word of Creation. It was a relief when God removed Uriel. Eli liked Laurence and admired his purity of heart, though he did not share it, and he respected Laurence's wish for constructive vigor and creative deeds of bravery.



Gabriel's trial was a surprise for Eli, who was far too busy with the new poetry and philosophies of Islam to care about politics. When he was summoned to involve himself, he arrived just in time to witness Gabriel leaving Heaven. He admired the creativity of the solution and believed that Gabriel had been divinely inspired, but he was saddened it had come htat far. As the centuries passed, Eli was only ever more impressed by humanity's ability to create and to create new media to be creative in. Even though Jean had forewarned him of the printing press, the pipe organ and movies, each new work was a joy. He and his angels tended to stay out of politics, allying with the Peace Faction of Heaven more from inertia and disinterest in fighting than any deep belief.

Nobody can really say the exact moment Eli left, though 1957 is the last year he was ever seen in Heaven. When Dominic began to investigate in the 60s, he found that more and more of Eli's angels had been sent to work with other Words or senior Wordbound, but it had been doing quietly and gradually, such that not even the angels of Creation know what was happening. Eli himself answered invocation only unreliably, and while seen sometimes on Earth, he was never in Heaven and would not meet with other Archangels. His angels went from shock to faith to nubmed resignation.

Whatever Eli is doing, his Word has not faltered - if anything, it has only grown stronger, though in part corrupted by Nybbas, Kronos and other Princes. The angels of Creation remain faithful that Eli is strong and pure, working to encourage humans. When surprised or questioned, Eli has occasionally seemed confused or uncertain, or even needed to be reminded who the angels he dealt with were, or that he was Eli. He walks the Earth in many faces, pursuing mysterious goals, but always calm and happy.



Some say that Eli was far more deeply involved in the Grigori affair than is generally believed. They claim he instigated the crossbreeding with mortals in an attempt to create a new, stable angel-human hybrid. When it seemed likely that Dominic and David would find out, they say he publicly accused the Grigori to cover his own misdeeds, Those who believe this suspect htat Eli continued the project in secret, and that his recent disappearance means he's reached a critical phase.

Some say that Eli's lack of interest in religion is all a con. He's behind most of the great religions of hte world, and he plays the other Archangels against each other to maximize his own power while staying neutral. They believe he deliberatel designed Islam to counter Christianity, and that he encourages every holy war while pretending to protect art. Of course, those who believe this tend to believe a lot of things about Eli.

Next time: Who is Eli

Lords of Creation

posted by Mors Rattus Original SA post

Superiors: Eli - Lords of Creation

Some believe that Eli left Heaven to join the love of his life: Andrealphus. Their hostility, this rumor says, is pure pretense and their ranking servants cooperate in secret. Whether the two end up in Heaven or Hell is up for debate, but they don't plan to be apart. Of course, discovery would destroy them both, and the people that believe this say that Dominic and Asmodeus have teamed up to find the truth.

Others say that the Archangel that meets with Creationers isn't Eli. He is a fragment of Eli's Forces, sapient and believing himself complete. That is because Eli was rendered into his component Forces in 1908 when he was at Tunguska and saved the Earth by interposing himself before the meteorite that struck, which would otherwise have altered Earth's orbit and eventually cause an Ice Age. (Angels of Lightning tend to find the entire theory painful to listen to.) Anyway, the Forces were seized by Vapula and used to bbost Nybbas, drastically increasing his power. To heal Eli would mean dissecting Nybbas and returning the Forces.



Eli in person is a mix of selfish artist, generous teacher, cheerful observer and absent-minded professor. He is friendly and kind, but he is easily distracted by the joy of working, and while his perception is keen, he can be blind to what happens before him. Some wonder what might be so important that it can distract him from Heaven for decades. Like any Wordbound, his Word warps his personality. Eli sees everything as an unfinished art piece or an artist waiting to create. As far as he's concerned, everyone can create something, and should, even if it's not high art or beautiful. Eli is rarely idle, even when talking to others - he sketches, he writes, he knits, he plays instruments or draws. He inspires enthusiasm in those around him almost without thinking about it. He's delighted by it, in fact. He is genuinely nice, joyful and cheerful, and in the past he even was able to make Dominic smile.



Above all else, Eli is an Archangel, and however selfish his urge to create is, he will put it aside for the greater good. He burns to make new things and to inspire others to make new things, but he does it with responsibility and expects the same from others. He will not ignore cruelty just because it has no link to his Word. However, he does actively support his Word. He encourages, inspires and indulges in the act of creation. Creative humans should be supported, he believes, and even the uninspired and poorly trained should be motivated to find some art or craft to enjoy, that they might appreciate the works of others. Biologically, he believes in protecting pregnant mothers and encouraging stable families as well as reminding couples that happy babies are wonderful. And finally, there's whatever task now consumes Eli. For the moment, he finds that this equals the importance of his Word and his Archangelic nature, driving him to neglect his servants in order to bring it to conclusion.



Eli does not enjoy the War, but he doesn't want to give up on it, either. If all demons were to surrender, he would be happy to design the temporary housing for them to wait for Redemption in, but while they choose to meddle, he will stop them. However, he finds it very easy to see the latent creative abilities in demons and Hellsworn, and he'd rather convert and Redeem than kill. Thus, he's more likely to support the Peace faction than the War faction in Heaven, but he is prone to agree with the War group that Hell must be resisted forcefully to keep humans safe. He favors immediate strikes against destructive demons and more tolerant treatment of those that he considers to have potential.

Eli did not create himself, God did. God is the ultimate Creator, and Eli is just playing in His very large sandbox. However, as Eli sees it, God has withdrawn from active intervention and left it to the Archangels to do what they think they must. This fits Eli's view on responsibility. It also means that if he decides on an action, he'll do it without hesitation. God left him the power and responsibility, and it's up to him to use it.

Lucifer was Eli's big brother. He was brilliant, a genius, a shining Seraph of immense beauty. His Fall warped the grand and glorious creation that had been Lucifer. It doesn't matter that he did it to himself - it was a perversion of Creation. Eli might have forgiven him, and every other Fallen...but they didn't make their own choice. They gave Lucifer the responsibility and he accepated what he manipulated them into giving. That Lucifer would corrupt not only himself but so many others - that Eli cannot forgive.

Once, Eli was a stabilizing factor in Heaven's politics, much as Marc is. He tried to find creative solutions to arguments, and his absence has widened the gap between War and Peace factions. His closeness to humans and their interests made him a popular ally for any project dealing with humanity directly, and some Archangels probably feel guilty for suspecting him, however justified they are. This makes them react all the more harshly when he's the topic of discussion. It's not nice or comfortable to suspect one of your oldest friends has Fallen. The Princes are likewise suspicious - they assume Eli is up to something sneaky, and to them, that means it must be some devious and self-aggrandizing act. Most of them hope he's on the verge of a Fall and will soon join them...as an inferior, of course. But there's no real evidence to support that besides his self-exile, though that is a potent fact on its own. Eli has made comments about their vivid imaginations, and it's tended to annoy the Princes that hear about it.








Variations! Eli the Surfer Dude is the dropout stoner angel, complete with slang, weed and shit stuffed under the bed. He's cheerful, relaxed and laid-back, and his escapes from Judgment are basically a farce. He probably has a good reason for being absent from Heaven and he's not going to Fall. Conspiracy Theory Eli is on the run for very good reasons and knows what will happen if he's caught. He's a paranoid fugitive, either pursuing a plan most of Heaven won't approve of or having discovered corruption at the heart of Heaven and fleeing destruction. He and his angels are being pursued by Judgment and perhaps others, and most of Heaven does not trust them. Of course, this requires a similarly shadowy and dangerous Dominic, and a polarized and dangerous Heaven. Insane Artist Eli is consumed by his Word. Everything is a canvas to be worked on, everyone a fellow artist to train or collaborate with. Eli can barely handle coherent conversation, and while he's not unpleasant, he is more interested in painting a massacre than stopping it. He may well be having kids with humans via the Songs of Fruition. Eli on the Brink is on the edge of a Fall, so seduced by humanity that he lives among them, indulging in every vice, and if it weren't for his creative instinct, he could easily be mistaken for an Impudite. He's charming and friendly, but he doesn't plan to stop, and if pushed too far, he might destroy angels in his way. He is possible working with Hell or the Grigori to avoid Judgment, and his angels are in danger as well. He might be able to be saved, but it won't be easy.



The Halls of Creation, Eli's Cathedral, once hummed with activity. They are still busy at times, but now it seemms desperate, as the angels wonder if their master will ever return. Nothing can mar the beauty of the art in the Halls, nor the joy of the souls that come to celebrate what is created, but the angels can hear the doubt behind the scenes. Much of the time, the place is quiet and still. The angels have moved their Hearts or hidden them, no longer comfortable with leaving them in the great halls that once shown with a thousand points of holy light. The busiest parts are the Tether-loci, still frequently in use. The Halls themselves are a grand museum of achievements and a labyrinth leading to new wonders and classes. Those who wish to leave can always find the exit, but those that wish to explore will find maps unimportant - the true exploration is of the mind and soul. The place itself will help travelers get where they need to be, with the chance to make new things on the way.

Next time: Abandoned Heaven

Create Your Fate

posted by Mors Rattus Original SA post

Superiors: Eli - Create Your Fate

The Stained Glass Chains are a popular attraction in the Halls - a set of rooms whose walls, ceilings and floors are made entirely out of stained glass. The pictures formed are parents and children among the angels of Creation, and the glass constantly changes to show the families in their current state. If a family member dies or Falls, their panes of glass become translucent white.

The Master Plan Chamber contains a complete model of the universe. By manipulating the controls, visitors may examine any part of it down to the subatomic level. Angels of Yves and Jean sometimes visit to study, as do angels of Judgment. Sadly, the controls require a very delicate touch, and one wrong twitch will send you halfway across the planet.

The Passion Play is a small theater that shows a constantly repeating performance from the moment of Creation to the first moments before the Fall. The actors are angels of Creation or blessed souls, and each time the play is done, it is done differently. The director is Genetrice, a Kyriotate who has found that lately, fewer and fewer angels have the time to participate, which makes her sad.

'Under Eli's Bed' is a catchphrase for 'missing' among Creationers. Some say that if you check Eli's chamber in the Halls, under his bed, you can find anything that has ever been lost. Of course, no one really believes it, but they all have very good excuse for why they're trying to root around in his room and under his bed.



The angels of Creation are highly varied, united by the determination to create new things but often divided on how to do it. Eli's generally inspired a rather casual attitude towards authority in his angels, and while they can respect others' visions, they are often slow to cooperate. In Eli's absence, the Creationers hold together for now, but the concerns of many Archangels are justifiable. Eli was always a hands-on boss, dealing with problems directly rather than via some hierarchy, and without him, his senior angels are trying to do the job. It's working for now, but it is impossible for the loyalty and banding together against perceived Judgment persecution to last forever, especially with many Creationers working in the service of other Archangels and demons taking advantage of Eli's absence to attack Creation projects.



Seraphim of Creation, like all Seraphim, love truth and hate lies. When applied to art, that mindset can produce some strange attitudes. Some are neo-realists, refusing to produce any art that is not a strictly accurate representation, and they often prefer photography of all kinds. They make good spies and detectives, and often try to make their vessels as visually close to their true forms as possible, if only in an abstract sense or via tattoos of snakes, scales, wings or angels. Others seek truth in ideal forms via symbolic art, using sculptures to express truths more sincerely than images. They tend to be mystical and sincere types seeking divine truth in inpsiration. Both kinds hate lies in their presence, but are more than able to view fiction and theater as storytelling rather than lies. They are more relaxed than other Seraphim around actors and fiction writers, in order to explore the truths of character, society and life. Some have mastered storytelling themselves, and are able to perform it in public, provided they can make it clear that they're telling a story and that story is not in any way a real event that is true. These Seraphim are some of Heaven's best linguists and philosophers on the nature of truth and how to express its forms in angelic.

Cherubim of Creation are set to protect artists, but given their ability to trace who made a piece and when, it's unsurprising that many are interested in archaeology, art history and detective work. They are art critics, able convey their opinions well while guarding their subjects selflessly. Many try to work as art models. They are split on whether it's important to protect both an artist and their work, or just the artist, since the important thing is the creation of the art, not htat it would last. (All agree that mothers and children must be protected at all times.) The art-protectors Fall slightly more often, but the second group is more capable of causing casual grief to humans without realizing it, since they tend not to care about any completed piece. They can also end up obsessing over specific artists, though not always to the point of Falling. Others tend to try to distract them when this starts happening. They can be overenthusiastic, but they genuinely love the craft - there's nothing wrong with enjoying good work.

Ofanim of Creation don't really care much about appearance, given their ability to alter their bodies and the things around them, and sometimes they forget others can't do the same. They're not very good at maintaining longterm Roles as a result. They tend to prefer impressionism, and aren't good at longterm projects in general. Some also like cooking and even the longer work of brewing beer, making cheese or baking. They make excellent forgers, as well, though this can bother their fellow Creationers. Ofanim tend to dislike art criticism that does not directly judge the piece or link it to the original creator, and they especially tend to dislike age-analysis techniques like carbon dating.

Elohim of Creation work over long periods, and are very patient. They can appreciate faster forms of art than they do, but deep down, they believe true creation takes time. They tend to be very familiar with chemistry and what chemicals make certain substances different from others. It's all part of the complex structure of creation. They are crafters, not artists, working to create specific objects, effects and results. No matter what they are working on, they use precision and patience. They don't expect easy or fast answers, even when they exist, and they tend to get on well with Stone. They tend to spend a lot of time mediating arguments between other angels, trying to keep Creation's tension at a reasonable level.

Malakim of Creation can pick up anything to use as a weapon. Literally anything. Other Malakim find this deeply enviable. They tend to focus on art like graffiti, though they love to try just about anything new. They are relatively laid-back, finding it relatively simpl to understand when and when not to fight. They tend to the muscular in their vessels, and their casual nature can either worry Judges or reassure them of the good judgment the Malakim can show, depending on the Judge. Some of them like to practice martial arts and teach humans self defense, but most prefer to keep their fights out of the public eye. They can get rather defensive and violent at times, which doesn't really help their reputation.

KYriotates of Creation consider all bodies variations on a form, given their ability to alter flesh with ease when inside it. They tend to be very insensitive about race because the entire concept of racism doesn't actually make sense to them - they don't understand how it could exist, and they aren't exactly good at recognizing it, which can be an issue in certain corporeal work. They are slightly less clueless about sexism - they can tell the difference between male and female more easily, after all. Some of them see themselves as sketch artists, using the minimum work to disguise their host, while others prefer to get the likeness as perfect as possible. They make excellent spies, since they can so thoroughly alter their hosts while inside them, though they're often less good at voices and speech patterns without practice. They also tend to prefer short-term disguise work, since the Song of Form doesn't last all that long. They avoid using innocents as hosts when going into danger, preferring either to possess a consenting Soldier or someone like a Hellsworn that won't be a great loss if things go bad. Still, they also invest in escape abilities, as they dislike leaving even these hosts in danger. They like to inspire others by their words and deeds, and will sometimes possess an artist to help them work, often leaving the artist believing they did work in some kind of fugue state.

Mercurians of Creation are as patient as the Elohim, though they tend to focus on the perfection of craft rather than the mutability of objects. They like humans fine, but are annoyed and offended by laziness. They are prepared to make allowances for those too busy to develop themselves, but not for those who have thrown their chances away. They are often widely skilled, though they must balance training themselves and crafting talismans. Often they find the use of talismans to be 'cheating,' since they know how hard it was to develop the skills. Still, they recognize that their allies often need the talismans, so they try to put those feelings aside, as long as their skills are respected. They tend to come in two types - those who master a few skills and those who have a wide portfolio but not much depth. The skills in question vary widely by taste, of course.

Redemption, to Creationers, is about taking corrupt material and making something new and beautiful with it. They support Redemption over death and are prepared to spend years on a single candidate that seems promising. Some of them see Redemption as a single moment of artitic inspiration, to be accomplished when the demon is ready, while others compare it to a long, careful work of art, with the demon's angelic friends best suited to judging readiness. Both factions prefer to bring demons to the truth by showing them the glory and beauty of making things, helping others and so on, reminding them that they need not give up corporeal pleasure as an angel. Of course, getting ahold of Eli to Redeem demons these days isn't easy. He tends to answer invocations for that purpose, but the future is never definite. Some resort to calling in friends who can summon other Archangels, even if it means the Redeemed serves another Word. Eli has Redeemed demons on the spot at times, leaving the new angels to learn from other Creationers, and Dominic tends to be keen on interviewing them quickly. Like most angels, Creationers believe they know best how to treat new Redeemed, but that and the current feeling of persecution often leads to the unfortunate belief that no other angels do. This can result in grudges or manic depressive new angels being kept from those who might help. When Eli was still in his Cathedral, he took care to assign the Reedemed to areas that best suited their talents and helped them learn to love art and creation. Now, the Creationers do their best to care for and educate the new angels, but their lack of central communication and direction can produce bias and lack of support networks.



Creationers hate to be idle. They tend to pick their own work these days, which can work out well...or put them at deep risk of temptation and a Fall. With the drain of angels to other Words, it's also important to make sure Tether defense and ongoing projects must be continually staffed, even if it means people badly suited for the job. The Halls of Creation are perpetually short-staffed, and most of the Creationers in Heaven are members of the Committee, report to them, or are too young to go to Earth yet. The rest are guardians of Tether endpoints or caring for the blessed souls. Most of Creation prefers to be on Earth, to follow their Archangel's example, even if it's a bad idea. Creationers in the Marches vary. Many see it as the ideal place to grant inspriation, but they rarely stay long - they want people to work in their waking hours, not live in dreams. They tend to have little contact with ethereals, for fear of Dominic, and also because they feel it's best to handle ethereals as they are run into. Plus, they're busy. Busy on Earth itself, inspiring and encouraging creation and those who create. They work hard to make things themselves, spread inspiration, fight demons and so on. Many work in social services or welfare networks to help people or encourage arts funding, or even conceal non-payment of taxes at times to help an artist out.

Some angels also take on stranger jobs. For example, a group of them attempt to infilitrate the media. This project's been ongoing ever since Eli first saw Triumph of the Will and realized the dangers of the situation. Unfortunately, it's not going well. Nybbas is in charge and will be unless someone finds a gamechanger. Another ongoing job is kept very secret from Judgment, trusted only to the most senior angels. They are trying to compile a list of known Grigori and their cover identities and locations, as well as any identified Children of the Grigori descended from them. These angels are mostly Kyriotates and Cherubim, and the work was begun before the birth of Christ, in deep secrecy. Eli has never said why he wanted the information.

Before, the closest Creation had to organization was teaming up for a project. While they have no hierarchy, they do understand the idea of working under direction to create an art piece, and they can manage it for a while. Over long periods, though, they tend to be bad at maintaining reports and hierarchies. Sure, some of them like structure and longterm work, and others like instructing others. They do what organizing they can, because no one else wants to. The other angels are happy to let them do it but will ignore orders if they feel like it, which doesn't exactly help things right now. The Ofanim messengers and Elohim mediators do their best, but this is not a very solid structure. Those few Creationers in Heaven try to manage coordination and analysis via Tether reports and whatever news they get. This group is usually referred to as the Committee. They can't issue orders, but can pass data to Seneschals to help them out, at least. There is, also, one thing that will reliably unite any Creationers: the need to rescue any friend, angel or human, that is in danger. Unfortunately, lapses in communication and the tendency of many Creationers to bury themselves in private work or sulking can result in more danger than necessary and few people knowing about it. The Committee tries to keep track of everyone, but they can't always manage it. Lately, they've been trying to promote teacher-student bonds to help monitor the situation.

Creationers always try to bring new things into the world - children, dreams, art, craftwork, new ideas. They do this personally and also inspire and teach others. They have no limits, only possibilities and new options. Individuals might have limits, sure, but better to challenge them than accept them. Try something new, even if you're bad at it. These angels are busy, even when relaxing. They know humans need sleep, but they barely ever do it themselves - it doesn't help the Word. Relaxation, sure, that's reasonable. But they prefer to relax enthusiastically and vigorously, which can have Judgment worried about corporeal temptation. The Creationers know Eli is gone and that the Judges are suspicious, that the rest of Heaven is polarized on the subject, that demons are taking advantage. They know it's bad and getting worse. They can become paranoid, eccentric or hostile...but they can also reach out to others, make friends and have faith. It really all depends on the angel involved.



Next time: Bad Art

The Worst Poet In Scotland

posted by Mors Rattus Original SA post

Superiors: Eli - The Worst Poet In Scotland

Not all Creationers are good at their art. Some of them work at it for millenia and still don't have any real artistic talent for their chosen style. This can shock other angels, and some Judgelsy falsely think it's proof of anti-Word behavior. After all, it is pleasant to perform well and one of Eli's Rites is to affirm your skill, but no one ever said creation had to be done perfectly. Eli loves the making, not the result. He'd prefer a bad artist that loves the art to an excellent one who does it just for the money. Besides, no one's good at a skill from the first moment they start it. It takes a lot of practice, and Creationers that try lots of different arts will need a whole lot of practice to get good at any of them. Besides, you can love an art without having a talent form. Maybe your singing voice sucks - but you can love to sing. You're creating. And that's just fine.

With Eli absent, there's not really much in the way of reward or punishment. The Committee lacks the resoruces to do either well. Other Archangels can, but arely provide much unless the Creationer is directly serving them or was on a mission for their Word. If Eli does show up, however, he'll often hand out Songs, attunements, relics or whatever he feels like as a reward at the time - sometimes things that will be useful in the future but make little sense right now. When punishing, Eli tries to be sympathetic, but the lack of any Word dissonance means that if his angels have Discord or dissonance it's because they fucked up their basic Choir nature. Eli will remove dissonance and Celestial or Ethereal Discord, but often leaves Corporeal Discord in place if it's not to severe. He also sometimes punishes by altering or mutilating your vessel, especially if you seemed to be veering towards Lust. For those straying deeply or who need help, Eli will send them to another Archangel directly with a letter explaining things.



Creation's dealing with outisders varies wildly depending on how the Creationer involved is handling Eli's absence, and how the outsiders are. They tend to distrust Judges and Laurentines, and appreciate angels of Flowers or Fire. Many senior angels are less reliant on stereotypes, though, and have better sense than to antagonize Judgment and the Sword overmuch, for fear of worsening views of Creation. Unfortunately, the young and angry ones seem to like annoying the stiffer angels, and the continual flow of Creationers into the service of other Words has been drawing off those who had sympathy for outsiders. When it comes to ethereals, sorcerers or demons, Creationers are split. One group believe that in Eli's absence, they must be even stricter than before - evil must be redeemed or slain, possibly after getting them to do something helpful. The other group holds that while Eli is gone, they need all the allies they can get, and this means being a bit laxer than Dominic might approve of. Neutral entities can be tolerated or bargained with and less evil demons can be ignored if circumstances require it.

Many Creationers serve other Words these days. A lot when to serve Dreams, as Blandine is one of Eli's oldest allies. It's not easy to adjust to such a distant Archangel, unlike pre-walkabout Eli, and some Creationers feel discriminated against but do not realize Blandine expects her angels to speak up if they're unhappy. Still, those who work well without supervision flourish in Dreams. Stone is home to several craft angels, who teach humans the arts, but they aren't especially well-liked by most of Stone. The more martial angels of Creation get along much better. Few work for Judgment, and they are watched closely and rarely hold high rank, but some serve quite well. The ones who serve Judgment tend to respect the Word deeply or hope to mitigate hostility. A few severely dissonant Creationers are 'volunteered' for the job to avoid harsher measures, and some of those are quite grudging...though others have become poster children for cross-Word cooperation.

Any Creationers who choose to serve Fire are welcomed, and while they rarely end up with much authority, their artistic views are quite respected. They help spread inspiration, as few tend to burn for punishing the cruel, though those that do are set to that task as well, with their full creativity. Either way, Creationers get along well with Fire. The Wind...well, they get fast cars, chaos and freedom, and that works well for Creationers that want to change the world. Janus is also fairly giving. However, there is no permanent home in the Wind - Windies are always moving, and Creationers are expected to as well, or they'll be left behind. Lightning...well, Jean is not happy about the situation, though he remains calm. He is aware that harshness may alienate Eli and Creation, and overly firm supervision tends to work badly for Creationers, so he tries to be understanding. He analyzes Creationers that serve him, monitoring and subtly organizing them for their own good. He knows Lightning can use their help, so he's happy to tempt and trick them if that's what it takes to make them good workers, and they usually get given a handler, though they're rewarded quite nicely.

Jordi likes Eli but finds little use for Creationers in his service. He doesn't have many jobs they're suited to, except for care and training of domesitc animals. Jordi dislikes zoos and pet shops, but he'll allow leeway for dogs and horses, who are trained to interact closely with humans, assuming they get good treatment. Laurence has few Creationers in his service, but he'll welcome them. He treats them as he would any other, save perhaps for making them prove they have discipline and dedication to make up for Eli's lack of both. They usually are drawn to Laurence's chivalry and sincerity, but some do get drafted out of need. They tend to find it hard to leave after that - it's really hard to say no to Laurence when he makes it clear that without you, a mission might fail. They do, however, often become disruptive. Marc is a reasonable boss, and Creationers tend to like him. However, they don't appreciate being constrained by his needs or the lifestyle of taking everyone else's needs into account when trying to make something. Marc vgets his fair share of Creationers, but they have to be able to work with the Traders' lifestyle.



Michael loves having Creationers work for him. They're useful, and he'll make any deal he needs. He's gneerous with rewards, too. However, once you sign up, you do what Michael says, period. He doesn't like to mess up your life, but if he thinks you're needed somewhere, you have no say in the matter. Period. Of course, he'll protect you from Dominic, mostly. Novalis is often seen as a soft choice - everyone knows she likes Eli and has a place for Creationers, and she won't make you fight. However, Creationers often find her very hard to serve well. Flowers angels know just when violence is allowed and when isn't, and how much must be given to support peace. Creationers can be very disruptive if they don't learn those lines fast. If they're prepared to learn, they can stay, but if they aren't, Novalis will ask them to leave, and that usually triggers a Judgment investigation. She's happy to have you if you'l learn, however, and she's generous if you can serve her well. Yves has many Creationers come to him, but they often end up disappointed by the passive jobs they get given. They tend not to understand the fragility of destiny so well, and there's a pretty steep learning curve. They're always partnered with one or more Shepherds to learn the job, at least. Plus they can help maintain the Library! Yves is not, however, the most generous of bosses, if you're looking for that.



In the past, Eli would usually accept it when an angel wanted to leave his service. He was sorry, sure, but he'd never stop you. Few ex-Creationers ever forgot their old friends and worked closely with them even after leaving. However, Creation's close ties to other words is now tearing Creation angels apart. No one really wants to leave in Eli's absence, but it's hard to find him and explain your choice. At the same time, former Creationers are stressing the advantages of even brief transfers in his absence, both out of faith in their Superiors and concern for their old friends. It's a painful place to be stuck in. Those angels who want to leave and who can get in contact with Eli are free to do so, but often other Creationers are hostile to them when they do - they're betraying the cause, walking out on Eli and Creation when they are most needed. They are rarely welcome, these days, among their old friends. Those that leave without consulting Eli tend to be disliked even more, and it's harder to get another Archangel to accept it without Eli's permission.







The Censors are a group of mostly Seraphim and Elohim who began work long before Eli left. They aren't internal security, quite, but they attempt to track Creationers heading for a Fall and guide them back to light. They are suddenly far more important and busier than they ever wanted to be. They liaise closely with the Committee, but so far there's been an unspoken agreement that no angel will be part of both groups. The Censors don't especially like being the main liaison to Judgment or being the primary help for dissonant or Discordant Creationers. Most of them want to get back to their own work, with their Censor duties being secondary. That's how it used to be. For now, though, their good sense and devotion to their fellows keeps them far, far too busy, to the point that their inspections are becoming somewhat cursory. Dominic wants to work closely with them, even train them, but none have been willing so far.

The Committee is the more organizationally minded Creationers, based out of Heaven to try and coordinate stuff. Many are lesser members of the Seraphim Council due to being senior Wordbound. The Committee is tolerated as a ncessary evil, but almost all Creationers wish Eli would just come back. As would the Committee, in fact, but in his absence they believe someone has to keep track of things and find the people Creation needs to help. It's quite possible that even if (or when) Eli returns, they'll retain their job. After all, it's a useful and needed one, even if some Creationers don't like it much.



The Destruction Engineers believe that destruction is a vital part of creation, but should be targeted at those things that need to be destroyed. They are mostly Malakim, and they work to fight demonic Tethers and conspiracies, for the sheer joy of breaking these evil things. The more senior members try to ensure they're not being used as diversions or being tricked, working with more combative Words on tactical planning. However, the junior members tend to just enjoy blowing shit up.

Team Observation is a new organization, in theory devoted to researching information about new creative outbreaks on Earth. That's the cover story, anyway. The truth is, they're not very subtly trying to find Eli by looking for patterns in the appearance of new artists, rises in birth rates and other such things. Other angels assume they're keeping it quiet out of embarrassment and politely don't ask. The truth is, in fact, that while some fringe members are just looking for Eli, the core team is bitter. They feel lost, betrayed and miserable. They want to demand some answers from Eli...and if they can't get those, they're working on experimental relics to capture an Archangel and have friends in Judgment they can reach at a moment's notice.

Everyone knows Judgment doesn't like Creationers. A lot of Dominicans do, in fact, find them frivolous and obsessed with corporeal things. Angels of Creation tend to try to irritate Triads as well, knowing they aren't really risking a Fall. This makes things worse. Older and wiser Creationers try to understand the Dominican view and work with them to help those in genuine danger. Sensible and merciful Dominicans try to be gentle and understand the stress Creationers are going through. Enough cases of this on both sides exist that most Creationers know of an understanding Judge, and most Judges know of a sensible Creationer, even if they don't know them personally.

So, what is Eli actually doing? Well, that's never going to be canonically revealed...but the game does provide some options. The first one: Eli thinks he can Redeem a Prince. Maybe Kobal, Andrealphus, Nybbas or Lilith, though any Prince could be a feasible option. This implies that either the other Archangels know about the plan and are playing along to make it look plasuible, or Eli hasn't told them and they really think he's nearing a Fall. The Prince in question might be mistrusted by other Princes who suspect the REdemption. Eli succeeding would be a huge change in the power balance and the first ever Redemption of a Prince. It could also be a trap for Eli laid by that Prince. PCs might become involved to liaise with demons of the candidate Prince, to help Eli cover his tracks, or to frame Eli to make him appear more likely to Fall or otherwise appear suspicious. They might help set up meetings, cover Eli's escape with the Redeemed Prince or otherwise provide key help.

Next time: More plans

Terrible Plans

posted by Mors Rattus Original SA post

Superiors: Eli - Terrible Plans

So, option 2: Eli is trying to bring the Grigori and their Children back to Heaven. He wants to recruit the Children as Soldiers and help them develop, then use them to persuade the Grigori to abandon their pride, apologize and return to Heaven. Most of the Archangels would probably like that, but a lot would object to the means he's using, so he left Heaven to work on it fulltime and plans to apologize after he succeeds. Dominic, David and Laurence would all see this as a horrible security breach, as meddling with the lives of the Children, who deserve to be allowed to live as normal humans if they want, and interfering with a sentence lawfully cast millenia ago. The Princes will want the Grigori and their Children for themselves, and Eli's work might let them finally track down the Grigori. However, success would bring back an entire Choir and maybe even give them a base of effective Soldiers across the planet.

Option 3: Eli's insane. He's decided to bring about mass destruction in order to renew Creation. The old order and the structure of Heaven and Hell have become stagnant and restrictive. They must be cleansed to make room for new possibilities. He has no outright rejected nuclear war, climate change, famine or plague, but his big plan is Lilith. If he can get control of Lilith, he believes he can force her to use her many Geases to start a cataclysmic battle between Heaven and Hell that will ruin much of the Earth. The first question, of course, is why Eli has gone round the bend. Maybe it's Nybbas' influence on creativity, maybe it's a Kronos plot, maybe pollution has fucked up the biosphere and somehow tainted Eli. His behavor does let him get close to Llith, as she might believe he's near Outcasting or a Fall. Even if he can't force her to use her Geases, he thinks he can, and the kidnapping and possible murder of a Princess might itself be sufficient to start open war. If he can do it...well, things could get even worse.



Then there's the Great Mistake. Eli's somehow managed to shatter himself into many hsards while trying to create a potent relic. Some of the shards are self-aware and trying to locate and reabsorb the rest, while others aren't aware of the problem and believe they are the one and only Eli. The other Archangels could and would help if they knew the problem, but the self-aware shards lack Eli's good judgment and common sense and want to solve it themselves. Reports of Eli wandering in an absent-minded haze, obsessing over art or being a party animal are likely due to encounters with unaware shards manifesting some parts of Eli's personality more strongly than others.

Last, there's Eli the Missing. The real Eli has not been seen for fifty years. When he vanished, it was temporary - he was communicating with Vapula in an attempt to get him to Redeem. Vapula, Beleth and Nybbas worked to trap Eli, then brainwashed an ancient, captive Mercurian of Creation into thinking he was Eli via a mix of Vapulan technology and Nightmare power, then released him into the world. The real Eli is imprisoned somewhere in the Marches as part of their evil scheme, and the duplicate truly believes he is Eli, but has large memory gaps and an impulse to avoid Heaven and most angels. The duplicate should not be able to bestow attunements, remove Discord or Redeem demons...but the Princes actually forged a link between Eli and the MErcurian by accident, so the unconscious Eli is acting through his proxy to do this. When the Princes realized, they were furious, but could not interfere in case they made the problem worse. Besides, it helps sell the con. No other Princes know of this - if they did, they would use the knowledge, join the plot or try to steal Eli. Vapula, Nybbas and Beleth plan to put the final state into action soon, which could result in them enslaving Eli, making him Fall or even destroying him utterly.

Then, there's adventure seeds. The only interesting one is one about penguins. A zoo has to import some new penguins because their current set are gay penguins and so not breeding. The local demons of Lust are torn between using this to promote homosexuality as a natural lifestyle or turning it into am edia frenzy about the evils of homosexuality in order to make it about lust rather than love. There will be protests one way or another, and both Eli and Jordi want some angels to go protect the penguins and, if the Lust demons go for the second route, thwart them. This is interesting only because it involves an evil demonic plan to take advantage of gay penguins.

The End

Next up: GM's Guide, Corporeal Player's Guide, Liber Canticorum, Superiors: Litheroy, or Revelations 1: Night Music.